Q29.Why was the "Japan Fund for Global Environment" created?

A: Global environmental problems transcend both national borders and generations, and have become the most important foundational issues of continuing human existence on the earth. Japan, with other countries, must continue to be actively involved in international society and show its strength on environmental issues.

However, in order to preserve the global environment, in addition to official measures such as Environmental ODA, the voluntary involvement of the public, especially the independent, positive actions of individual citizens and international grassroots cooperation in support of the environment, is essential. This need was the reason the Japanese government made a public commitment at the Earth Summit held in Brazil during June 1992 to increase environmental ODA and create a system to support global environmental conservation projects run by civilians.

To fulfill this internationally proclaimed public commitment, the Environmental Agency (so named at that time) took the lead in the government, and considered designs for the systemization of a fund for the global environment and carried out a survey of Japan's environmental conservation organizations (environmental NGOs). At the 123rd ordinary session of the National Diet in 1993, the government-proposed "Law to Revise the Japan Environment Corporation Law" was established and on May 28, 1993, the Japan Fund for Global Environment became the vehicle to carry out the law. JFGE is transferred to The Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency from Japan Environment Corporation in April, 2004.